Electrically energized oil shear drive system

ABSTRACT

A two speed drive has an input shaft and an output shaft. Between the input shaft and the output shaft is a first brake/clutch pack assembly, a planetary gear train and a second brake/clutch assembly. The two speed drive offers a low speed operation, a high speed operation and braking of the drive by the engagement and disengagement of the first and second brake/clutch pack assemblies.

This is a continuation of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 08/059,585,filed May 10, 1993, abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to press drives. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a new and improved twospeed press drive which utilizes two clutch packs to provide thebraking, high speed and low speed operation of the drive unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Two speed drives are known well in the art and have been usedsuccessfully for many years. The prior art designs of two speed drivesexperienced problems with the braking and clutching systems, theplanetary gearing arrangements as well as the overall lubrication of thecomponents of the press drive. These prior art designs of two speeddrives utilized a plurality of dry clutch plates to hold and/or releasethe various members of the planetary system. Due to the wear betweenthese friction plates, the drives required constant adjustment andreplacement of the clutch and brake assemblies. During the operation ofthese dry clutch and brake assemblies, a significant amount of heat wasgenerated. This generation of heat combined with the excessive wear ofthe friction plates can cause a fading of the brake or clutch system.Other problems associated with the earlier designs of two speed drivesincluded the rigid mounting of the planetary gear system and the problemof poor lubrication of the various components within the drive.Experience has shown that the elements of a large, high-poweredplanetary gear set are adversely affected if any one of these elementsare rigidly mounted. The rigid mounting of one of the elements can leadto an unequal sharing of the load between the mating elements. Thisunequal sharing of the load in combination with the stopping, startingand reversing of the planetary system leads to increased wear anddowntime. The inadequate lubrication of the various components of thedrive serves to again increase the wear and down time of the drivesystem.

Oil shear brakes and clutches have been developed to overcome theproblems associated with the earlier designs of two speed drives. In anoil shear clutch or brake system, over 90% of the start/stop inertia isabsorbed by a thin, but positive oil film between the friction plates.This thin oil film thus results in little or no wear between the platesand also little or no fading of the braking systems. The thin oil filmbetween the plates also operates to remove the heat generated during thestart/stop cycles of the press. With the generated heat being removedfrom the friction pates, there is no longer a practical limit on thedrive trip rate or speed. The oil shear clutch and brake system alsoeliminates the problems associated with lubrication of the variouscomponents of the drive as the drive housing is now filled withlubricating oil for the oil shear clutch and brake system. These oilshear brakes and clutches have also been combined with full floatingplanetary gear elements to eliminate the unequal sharing of the loadbetween the mating elements.

The two speed drive units incorporating oil shear brakes and clutches aswell as full floating planetary gear elements have enjoyed wideacceptance in the two speed drive market. The continued development ofthese two speed drives is directed towards providing a more compact andlower cost drive without sacrificing the performance characteristics ofthe drive unit.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention provides the art with a two speed drive whichutilizes two brake/clutch packs to provide a drive which offers highspeed operation, low speed operation and braking of the drive. The twospeed drive unit of the present invention incorporates oil shear designsof brake/clutch packs as well as full floating of the planetary gearingsystem.

Other advantages and objects of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the subsequent detaileddescription, appended claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplatedfor carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a side view partially in cross section of a two speed drive inaccordance with the present invention configured for in-line motormounting; and

FIG. 2 is a side view partially in cross section of a two speed pressdrive in accordance with the present invention configured for U-typemotor mounting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals designatelike or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shownin FIG. 1 a two speed drive in accordance with the present inventionwhich is designated generally by reference numeral 10. Two speed drive10 comprises an input shaft 12, a housing assembly 14, a brake/clutchpack assembly 16, a brake/clutch pack assembly 18, a planetary geartrain 20 and an output shaft 22.

Input shaft 12 is driven at one end 30 at a specified speed by a motor(not shown). The motor can be connected to input shaft 12 by variousmeans known well in the art. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, end 30of input shaft 12 is provided with a female spline 32 to facilitateconnection to the drive motor. Input shaft 12 is rotatably disposedwithin housing assembly 14 by a roller bearing 34. The end of inputshaft 12 opposite to drive end 30 extends through the center ofbrake/clutch pack assembly 16 and is drivingly connected at 36 to thecarrier assembly of planetary gear train 20 as will be discussed laterherein.

Housing assembly 14 comprises fan housing 40, brake/clutch controlhousing 42, central housing 44 and brake/clutch control housing 46. Fanhousing 40 is generally cylindrical in shape and has a single end wall50 which partially defines an internal cavity 52. End wall 50 has acylindrical opening 54 provided therein to allow access to input shaft12 by the drive motor. Disposed radially outward from opening 54 are aplurality of circumferentially spaced mounting holes 56 for securing fanhousing 40 to the drive motor. The end of fan housing 40 opposite to endwall 50 is adapted to be fixedly secured to brake/clutch control housing42. Disposed within interior cavity 52 is a fan 58 which is fixedlymounted to input shaft 12 for rotation therewith. Fan housing 40 has aplurality of air inlet apertures 60 which allow for the passage ofcooling air being pumped by fan 58.

Brake/clutch control housing 42 is an annular shaped housing adapted tobe fixedly secured to fan housing 40 by a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced mounting bolts 62 which are threadingly received in a pluralityof mating threaded holes. Disposed radially inward from the plurality ofmounting bolts 62 are a plurality of threaded holes 64 which receive aplurality of assembly rods 66. Rods 66 are utilized to maintain theintegrity of the two speed drive as will be discussed later herein. Theend of housing 42 opposite to mounting bolts 62 is adapted to be fixedlyand sealingly attached to central housing 44. Housing 42 completes theformation of interior cavity 52 and defines a centrally located bore 67which allows access for input shaft 12 to reach planetary gear train 20.Bore 67 defines an inner cylindrical surface 68 which supports rollerbearing 34 and forms a locating surface for bearing seal housing 70. Theinterface between fan housing 50 and housing 42 defines a plurality ofair outlet apertures 72 which allow for passage of cooling air beingpumped by fan 58. Air outlet apertures 72 cooperate with air inletapertures 60 to create a path for the air pumped by fan 58 to flowacross two speed drive 10 to aid in the cooling of drive 10. Bearingseal housing 70 is adapted to be fixedly and sealingly attached tohousing 42 by a retaining plate 74 and a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced bolts 76. A seal 78 is located between bearing seal housing 70and inner cylindrical surface 68. Retaining plate 74 locates and retainsseal housing 70 and also locates and secures an additional seal 80disposed between retaining plate 74 and input shaft 12. Seal 80 ridesagainst input shaft 12 and operates in conjunction with seal 78 to sealthe oil disposed within two speed drive 10 as will be described laterherein.

Disposed within brake/clutch control housing 42 is a clutch coil cavity86 which is located in the end of brake/clutch control housing 42adjacent to central housing 44. Disposed within clutch coil cavity 86 isan AC voltage clutch coil 88. A plurality of circumferentially spacedspring bores 90 extend completely through housing 42 and are located inhousing 42 radially outward from coil cavity 86. Disposed within each ofthe plurality of spaced spring bores 90 is a coil spring 92 and anaccess bolt 94 for providing access to spring 92 in order to change to ahigher or lower rated spring without disassembling drive 10.

Attached to housing 42 on the same side as and facing clutch coil 88 isbrake/clutch pack assembly 16 which comprises a friction plate retainer100 secured to housing 42 by a plurality of bolts 102. The interiorsurface of friction plate retainer 100 is adapted with a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced axially extending splines 104 to support aplurality of driven clutch plates 106 of brake/clutch pack assembly 16.An end plate 108 is secured to retainer 100 by a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced bolts 110 and serves to mount bearing 112 whichlocates the sun gear of planetary gear train 20 as will be describedlater herein. End plate 108 also provides a braking surface 114 forbrake/clutch pack assembly 16. Disposed between end plate 108 and clutchcoil 88 is an annular clutch pressure plate 116. Disposed between clutchpressure plate 116 and end plate 108 are a plurality of driving plates118 and the plurality of driven plates 106. The plurality of drivingplates 118 are interleaved with the plurality of driven plates 106.Driving plates 118 are splined on their interior to be drivinglyconnected to the sun gear of planetary gear train 20 while driven plates106 are splined on their exterior for being drivingly connected tosplines 104 of retainer 100.

Annular clutch pressure plate 116 has an annular activation member 120extending axially from it towards end plate 108. Activation member 120is splined on its exterior to mate with splines 104 of retainer 100similar to that of driven plates 106. The plurality of coil springs 92urge pressure plate 116 and activation member 120 axially to the rightas shown in FIG. 1. In this position, brake/clutch pack assembly 16 isin the engaged position. Upon activation of AC voltage clutch coil 88,clutch pressure plate 116 and clutch activation member 120 aremagnetically attracted to brake/clutch control housing 42 and thesecomponents move axially to the left as shown in FIG. 1. The magneticattraction of AC voltage clutch coil 88 overcomes the spring force ofthe plurality of coil springs 92 and brake/clutch pack assembly 16 isdisengaged. When the power to AC voltage clutch coil 88 is terminated,the plurality of coil springs 92 urge clutch pressure plate 116 andclutch activation member 120 to the right as shown in FIG. 1, againengaging brake/clutch pack assembly 16.

Planetary gear train 20 comprises a sun gear 121, a plurality of planetgears 122 and an output sun gear 124. Sun gear 121 is rotatablypositioned relative to brake/clutch pack assembly 16 by bearing 112 androtatably positioned relative to a carrier assembly 126 by a bearing128. Sun gear 121 has a plurality of splines 130 located on its exteriorsurface for drivingly engaging the plurality of driving plates 118 asdetailed above. Disposed at the end of sun gear 121 opposite to that ofsplines 130 is a toothed gear section 132 for driving engagement withthe plurality of planet gears 122.

The plurality of planet gears 122 are rotatably mounted on carrierassembly 126 by a pin 134 and a pair of bearings 136. The plurality ofplanet gears 122 have a plurality of gear teeth 138 which meshinglyengage sun gear 121. An oil hole 140 extends through each planet gear122 to provide lubricant to bushings 136. Carrier assembly 126 iscomprised of a central hub 142 which fixedly secures carrier assembly126 to input shaft 12 for rotation therewith. Extending radially outwardfrom hub 142 is a flange 144. Flange 144 extends radially outward and isattached to a generally U-shaped collar 146 which rotatably supportscarrier assembly 126 within drive 10 by bearings 128 and a bearing 148.Bearing 148 is mounted between output sun gear 124 and U-shaped collar146. U-shaped collar 146 is adapted at a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced locations for mounting pin 134 which rotatably supports theplurality of planetary gears 122. Extending axially from U-shaped collar146 is a cylindrical housing 150 which forms the supporting member of aplurality of driving plates 152 of brake/clutch pack assembly 18. Theinterior surface of cylindrical housing 150 has a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced axially extending splines 154 for drivingengagement with a spline formed on the outside edge of the plurality ofdriving plates 152. A plurality of driven plates 156 are interleavedwith driving plates 152. Driven plates 156 have a plurality of splinesformed in their inside edges for drivingly engaging hub 158. Hub 158 hasa plurality of splines formed on its outside diameter for engagementwith driven plates 156 and is adapted on its internal diameter to befixedly secured to output shaft 22 as will be described later herein.Hub 158 further has a plurality of threaded bores for fixedly securingoutput sun gear 124 to hub 158 by a plurality of bolts 159. Output sungear 124 has a plurality of gear teeth 125 adapted to mate with gearteeth 161 located on planet gears 122.

An activation member 160 is rotatably supported on an annular clutchpressure plate 162 by a roller bearing 164. The exterior surface ofactivation member 160 is splined for engagement with spline 154 ofhousing 150. Annular clutch pressure plate 162 is secured tobrake/clutch control housing 46 by a plurality of pins 166. Pins 166prohibit rotational movement of pressure plate 162 but permit axialmovement of pressure plate 162 with respect to control housing 46 forengagement and disengagement of brake/clutch pack assembly 18.

Brake/clutch control housing 46 forms a clutch coil cavity 170 which islocated on the side of control housing 46 adjacent brake/clutch packassembly 18. Disposed within clutch coil cavity 170 is an AC voltageclutch coil 172. A plurality of circumferentially spaced spring bores174 extend through control housing 46 and are located radially outwardfrom coil cavity 170. Disposed within each of the plurality ofcircumferentially spaced spring bores 174 is a coil spring 176 and anaccess bolt 178 for providing access to springs 176 in order to changeto a higher or lower rated spring without disassembling drive 10. Pins166 are fixedly secured into a plurality of holes 180 which extend intocontrol housing 46. Coil springs 176 thus bias pressure plate 162 to theleft along pins 166 as shown in FIG. 1. In this position, brake/clutchpack assembly 18 is in the engaged position. Upon activation of ACvoltage clutch coil 172, clutch pressure plate 162 and clutch activationmember 160 are magnetically attracted to brake/clutch control housing 46and these components move axially to the right as shown in FIG. 1 alongthe plurality of pins 166. The magnetic attraction of AC voltage clutchcoil 172 overcomes the spring force of the plurality of coil springs 176and brake/clutch pack assembly is disengaged. When the power to ACvoltage clutch coil 172 is terminated, the plurality of coil springs 176urge clutch pressure plate 162 to the left as shown in FIG. 1, againengaging brake/clutch pack assembly 18. Control housing 46 has aplurality of circumferentially spaced holes 186 which receive assemblyrods 66 to secure the components of two speed drive 10.

Central housing 44 extends between control housing 42 and controlhousing 46 to define an internal chamber 182. A pair of seals 184 sealthe connection between central housing 44 and control housings 42 and46. Assembly rods 66 which are threadingly received within threadedholes 64 of control housing 42, extend over central housing 44 andextend through the plurality of holes 186 in control housing 46. Aplurality of nuts 188 trap central housing 44 between control housings42 and 46 and define sealed chamber 182.

Brake/clutch control housing 46 defines a central bore 190 which mountsroller bearing 192 for rotatingly supporting output shaft 22. Bore 190also forms a locating surface for a bearing seal housing 194. Bearingseal housing 194 is adapted to be fixedly and sealingly attached tocontrol housing 46 by a plurality of circumferentially spaced bolts 196and a seal 198. Bearing seal housing 194 locates an additional seal 200which is disposed between bearing seal housing 194 and output shaft 22to complete the sealing of chamber 182. Thus chamber 182 is fluidlysealed by seals 80, 78, 184, 198 and 200. Chamber 182 is filled with oilto provide lubricant for the oil shear brake/clutch assemblies 16 and 18as well as providing lubrication for the components of two speed drive10.

Output shaft 22 is fixedly secured to hub 158 for rotation therewith andextends through pressure plate 162 and bore 190 in control housing 46.Output shaft 22 is rotatably supported by bearing 192 and extendsaxially through bearing 192 to provide for the attachment of a drivendevice (not shown). A flange 202 is fixedly secured to control housing46 by a plurality of bolts 204 to accommodate the attachment of thedriven device using a plurality of holes 206.

The operation of two speed drive 10 begins with no power being suppliedto the drive motor, brake/clutch assembly 16 and brake/clutch assembly18. The drive motor is thus not running and brake/clutch pack assemblies16 and 18 are both in the engaged position due to the biasing of theplurality of springs 92 and 176. In this condition, rotational movementof both input shaft 12 and output shaft 22 is prohibited. When power isapplied to the drive motor, brake/clutch assembly 16 and brake/clutchassembly 18, input shaft 12 is free to rotate with the drive motor dueto the disengagement of brake/clutch assembly 16 and the disengagementof brake/clutch assembly 18.

From this operating condition, the two speed drive can be switched tooperate in a high speed or low speed condition. If high speed operationis desired, power is supplied to brake/clutch pack assembly 16 to placeit in a disengaged condition and power is terminated to brake/clutchpack assembly 18 to place it in an engaged condition and lock carrier126 to output shaft 22 for a direct driving relationship between inputshaft 12 and output shaft 22. Power is transferred from input shaft 12through hub 142 and carrier assembly 126 of planetary gear train 20.Power is transferred from planetary gear train 20 directly to outputshaft 22 due to the engagement of brake/clutch pack assembly 18 and adirect driving relationship is achieved.

If low speed operation is desired, power is terminated to brake/clutchpack assembly 16 to place it in an engaged condition and power issupplied to brake/clutch pack assembly 18 to place it in a disengagedcondition. This condition causes input shaft 12 to transmit rotation tooutput shaft 22 through planetary gear train 20 to provide a low speeddrive operation. Power is transferred from input shaft 12 through hub142 and carrier assembly 126 of planetary gear train 20. With sun gear121 being locked by the engagement of brake/clutch pack assembly 16,power is transferred through planetary gears 122 to output sun gear 124to provide the low speed operation. Output sun gear 124 directly drivesoutput shaft 22 which is free to rotate relative to carrier assembly 126due to the disengagement of brake/clutch pack assembly 18.

The braking of two speed drive 10 is accomplished by terminating powerto both brake/clutch pack assembly 16 and brake/clutch pack assembly 18.Input shaft 12 is then attempting to drive output shaft 22 through bothplanetary gear train 20 and brake/clutch pack assembly 18 which has theeffect of locking planetary gear train 20 and thus braking drive 10.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention which showsadaption of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 to incorporate a U-drivesystem when space limitations prohibit the in-line embodiment of FIG. 1.The two speed drive 10 of FIG. 2 is similar to two speed drive 10 ofFIG. 1 with the exception of fan housing 340 which replaces fan housing40. Fan housing 340 comprises a rear mounting plate 342 which is adaptedto be secured to brake/clutch pack assembly 16 by the plurality of bolts62. Rear mounting plate 342 also is adapted for the mounting of drivemotor 344 by the plurality of bolts 346. Drive motor 344 has a driveshaft 348 which extends generally parallel to input shaft 12. A drivingpulley 350 is fixedly secured to driveshaft 348 and a driven pulley 352is fixedly secured to input shaft 12. A drive belt 354 extends betweendriving pulley 350 and driven pulley 352 to provide power from drivemotor 344 to input shaft 12. The high speed, low speed and brakingoperations of two speed drive unit 310 is identical to that describedabove for two speed drive unit 10.

While the above detailed description describes the preferred embodimentof the present invention, it should be understood that the presentinvention is susceptible to modification, variation and alterationwithout deviating from the scope and fair meaning of the subjoinedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A two speed drive comprising:a housing forhousing the two speed drive; an input member for transmitting rotationto said two speed drive; an output member for transmitting rotation fromsaid two speed drive said input member and output member beingdisjointed from one another, and said output member rotatably supportedby said housing; a compound planetary gear train comprising a first sungear, a second sun gear and a plurality of planet gears drivinglyengaged with both said first and second sun gears, said input memberbeing operably connected to said planet gears, said output member beingoperably connected to said second sun gear; selectively operable clutchmeans for locking said input member to said output member, said clutchmeans being capable of being positioned in an engaged or disengagedcondition; a clutch biasing member for urging said clutch means intosaid engaged condition; selectively operable brake means for prohibitingrotation of said first sun gear, said brake means being capable of beingpositioned in an applied or a released condition; and a brake biasingmember for urging said brake means into said applied condition.
 2. Thetwo speed drive according to claim 1 wherein, said clutch means and saidbrake means operate independently.
 3. The two speed drive according toclaim 1 wherein, said plurality of planet gears are rotatably supportedby a gear carrier, said gear carrier being rotatably supported by saidfirst and second sun gears.
 4. The two speed drive of claim 1 wherein,said clutch means is movable to said disengaged condition by an ACvoltage coil.
 5. The two speed drive of claim 1 wherein, said brakemeans is movable to said released condition by an AC voltage coil.
 6. Atwo speed drive comprising:an input member for transmitting rotation tosaid two speed drive; an output member for transmitting rotation fromsaid two speed drive; a compound planetary gear train comprising a firstsun gear, a second sun gear, a carrier rotatably supported solely bysaid first and second sun gears and a plurality of planet gearsrotatably supported by said carrier, said plurality of planet gearsbeing drivingly engaged with both said first and second sun gears, saidinput member being operably connected to said carrier, said outputmember being operably connected to said second sun gear; selectivelyoperable clutch means for locking said input member to said outputmember, said clutch means being capable of being positioned in anengaged and a disengaged condition; and selectively operable brake meansfor prohibiting rotation of said first sun gear, said brake means beingcapable of being positioned in an applied or a released condition. 7.The two speed drive according to claim 6 further comprising a clutchbiasing member for urging said clutch means into said engaged condition.8. The two speed drive according to claim 6 further comprising a brakebiasing member for urging said brake means into said applied condition.9. The two speed drive according to claim 6 wherein, said clutch meansand said brake means operate independently.
 10. The two speed drive ofclaim 6 wherein, said clutch means is movable to said disengagedcondition by an AC voltage coil.
 11. The two speed drive of claim 6wherein, said brake means is movable to said released condition by an ACvoltage coil.